Music: {allcanada} Wizards hand Raps sixth loss in seven games

Sunday, March 31, 2013

{allcanada} Wizards hand Raps sixth loss in seven games

WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal scored 24 points in his return to the lineup, leading the Washington Wizards to a 109-92 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.

Emeka Okafor had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and John Wall added 18 points and 10 assists for Washington. The Wizards, who came in having lost two in a row on the road, won their seventh straight at home and moved into a tie with Toronto for 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Raptors, losers of six of their last seven. Toronto leading scorer Rudy Gay scored 11 points — about seven below his average — while being limited to 26 minutes due to foul trouble.

Toronto, which has lost six of seven, cut a 20-point third-quarter deficit to six twice in the fourth quarter before Washington pulled away.

After missing five straight games, and 11 of 13, with a sprained left ankle, Beal shot 8 for 14 from the field, including a career-high six 3-pointers — on nine attempts — in 30 minutes.

Washington increased a 10-point halftime lead to 16 with an 8-2 run to open the second half. Toronto cut it to 70-62, but Beal hit 3-pointers on three of the Wizards' next four possessions to make it 79-64.

A little over a minute later, Beal hit another 3 and, after a Toronto miss, Okafor's dunk put Washington ahead 86-66 with 2:18 left in the quarter.

The Wizards scored 12 points from the foul line in the opening 12 minutes. Wall's two free throws gave the Wizards a 27-25 lead at the end of a first quarter that featured nine lead changes.

With Washington ahead by one midway through the second quarter, Keven Seraphin scored six of his 11 first-half points in an 8-2 Washington spurt. A minute later, Wall fed Trevor Ariza for fast-break layup that made it 50-41 and Washington led by 10 at the half.

The Wizards shot 52.4 per cent from the field in the first half (22 of 42) to 39 per cent (17 of 43) for Toronto.

Gay was held to five points in the half and DeMar DeRozan to four, while Valanciunas scored 16 for Toronto.

NOTES: Wizards F Nene missed his fourth game with a sore right knee. … The last time Washington won seven consecutive home games was during the 2006-07 season when they won 10 straight. … The Wizards visit Toronto on Wednesday to wrap up the season-series. Washington has won two of the first three meetings.